Don’t Panic When Mosquitoes Come: I Tested 6 Methods — Only 2 Actually Work

Girls, mosquitoes have been getting active lately.

Last week I got bitten three times while sleeping and it was unbearably itchy. So I started seriously researching mosquito repellent methods.

Background: I live in Chengdu, which is a southern city with lots of mosquitoes. My test environment was a 20-square-meter bedroom with windows and doors closed.

I tested 6 methods —结论 (conclusion) first:

Only 2 actually work: mosquito repellent liquid and electric mosquito repellent.

The rest are psychological comfort at best.

First, mosquito repellent liquid

I use Raid mosquito repellent, with DEET as the active ingredient. This is CDC (US Centers for Disease Control) certified as effective, with the most safety data.

How to use: Turn it on 2 hours before sleep, with windows open for ventilation. When sleeping, close windows to trap the repellent inside.

Result: No bites at night.

Precautions: Keep the repellent up high where pets can’t lick it. If you have kids at home, choose the children’s version with lower DEET concentration.

Electric mosquito repellent

I use liquid electric mosquito repellent, the brand is Champion. The active ingredient is permethrin, which kills mosquitoes but has very low toxicity to humans.

How to use: Plug in and use continuously. Replace the liquid pad daily.

Result: After continuous use for a week, basically no mosquitoes visible in the room.

The remaining 4 — why don’t they work?

Method 1: Mosquito repellent bracelet

I bought one of those viral mosquito repellent bracelets claiming to be pure plant extract. Result: completely useless. Mosquitoes still bit me.

Reason: The bracelet only protects the skin within a few centimeters of your wrist, the coverage area is too small, and plant extract repellent volatile quickly, so protection time is very short.

Method 2: Mosquito repellent patches

Same problem as the bracelet. Stuck on clothes, only protects that small patch of skin. Plus the patches I bought had a really strong smell that made me dizzy, but mosquitoes didn’t care at all.

Method 3: Ultrasonic mosquito repellent APPs

Downloaded 3 different apps, all claiming to repel mosquitoes with ultrasound. Result: completely useless.

Reason: Mosquito antennae are sensitive to carbon dioxide and body temperature, not ultrasound. These apps are just a money grab.

Method 4: Vitamin B1

The internet says taking vitamin B1 repels mosquitoes because they don’t like the smell of B1. I took it for a week, 3 tablets daily. Result: no mosquito repellent effect, just really yellow urine.

Reason: Mosquitoes simply can’t detect the smell of B1. This is one of the most widespread rumors.

One Extra Discovery

I found that the most effective mosquito prevention method is physical protection — mosquito nets.

If you get bitten frequently and nothing seems to work, try a mosquito net. Once you get used to it, you’ll fall in love with it.

I’m planning to get a Mongolian-style mosquito net this year — it’s both mosquito-proof and ventilated, and it looks pretty too.

Summary

For mosquito repellent, really don’t fall for the money grabs. Buying the right product matters more than buying expensive products.

My recommendation: mosquito repellent liquid + electric mosquito repellent, double-barreled approach, plus one physical protection (mosquito net or window screens). With these three in place, mosquitoes won’t stand a chance getting into your home.

What are your mosquito repellent tips? See you in the comments.